link to page 2 link to page 2 link to page 1 
Updated November 23, 2022
Defense Primer: Personnel Tempo (PERSTEMPO)
As a result of the nation’s extended involvement in
statutory definition of dwell time (see Table 2 for a timeline
contingency operations around the globe over the past few
of selected events).
decades, some servicemembers have experienced
Current definitions take into account a broad range of
prolonged, recurrent, and stressful deployments. In
activities that keep servicemembers away from home
addition, preparation for deployments (e.g., training,
(Table 1). Activities not included as deployment events,
exercises, temporary duty assignments) can incur extended
include, for example, military duties extending beyond
working hours or frequent travel away from home station.
normal working hours but conducted at the member’s home
The pace of operations for individuals is commonly referred
duty station, also known as permanent duty station.
to as personnel tempo (PERSTEMPO) and can affect
quality of life, work satisfaction, and overall morale for
Table 1. Statutory Definitions and Thresholds
members and their families.
Term
Definition
Congress oversees the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s)
PERSTEMPO management, policies and programs. In
PERSTEMPO
The amount of time servicemembers are
addition, congressional actions to authorize force size (i.e.,
engaged in their official duties at a
end-strength) can affect the number of personnel available
location or under circumstances that
for deployment. Appropriated funds for military pay and
make it infeasible for a member to
benefits (including leave and morale programs) may
spend off-duty time in the housing in
compensate troops for time spent away.
which the member resides.
Background and Definitions
OPTEMPO
The rate at which units are involved in
During the mid-1990s, though the nation was not engaged
all military activities, including
in major conflict, a combination of force drawdowns and
contingency operations, exercises, and
increased deployments in support of peacetime missions
training deployments.
(e.g., peacekeeping and humanitarian operations) put stress
Deployed or in a Any day on which, pursuant to orders,
on servicemembers, particularly those in high-deploying
deployment
the member is performing service in a
specialty units. A 1996 Government Accountability Office
training exercise or operation at a
(GAO) report found that DOD did not have consistent goals
location or under circumstances that
or policies for managing personnel tempo (see Table 2).
make it impossible or infeasible for the
Recognizing a need to more accurately measure the pace of
member to spend off-duty time in the
operations on military personnel, in 1999, Congress first
housing in which the member resides
added a statutory definition for deployment, established
when on garrison duty at the member’s
high-deployment thresholds (then defined as 182 days or
permanent duty station or homeport.
more out of the preceding 365 days), and required Secretary
Current high
One-year: 220 days deployed out of the
of Defense (SECDEF) approval to exceed those thresholds
deployment
previous 365 days. Two-year: 400 days
as part of the FY2000 National Defense Authorization Act
thresholds*
deployed out of the previous 730.
(NDAA; P.L. 106-65), This law also required the Under
Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to
Dwell time
The time a regular member of the
develop standardized terminology and policies for operating
armed forces or unit spends at the
tempo (OPTEMPO) and personnel (PERSTEMPO), and to
permanent duty station or home port
track and report on these categories.
after returning from deployment, or the
amount of time a reservist remains at
Shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks, the SECDEF
the member’s permanent duty station
suspended statutory high-deployment thresholds under the
after completing a deployment of 30
waiver authority in law. However, under department policy
days or more in length
(DOD Instruction 1336.5), the Services continued to track
Sources: 10 U.S.C. §991 and 10 U.S.C. §136(d).
deployment days. As operations in Afghanistan and Iraq
Notes: Contingency operations are as defined in 10 U.S.C.
intensified, many raised concerns that individuals within
§101(a)(13)(B). *High-deployment thresholds have been waived since
certain military occupational specialties were experiencing
2001 under the SECDEF authority in 10 U.S.C. §991(d). According to
both lengthy and frequent deployments. While the
a November 1, 2013, USD (P&R) policy memo, involuntary extension
PERSTEMPO measures captured deployment duration,
of a deployment beyond 365 days requires SECDEF approval.
they did not adequately capture the down time, or dwell
time, members had between deployments. In 2007, DOD
established deploy-to-dwell planning objectives, and in the
FY2012 (NDAA; P.L. 112-81), Congress established a
https://crsreports.congress.gov
link to page 2 Defense Primer: Personnel Tempo (PERSTEMPO)
High-PERSTEMPO Compensation
Table 2. Timeline of Selected PERSTEMPO Actions
Congress has sought to incentivize better DOD
1995-2021
management of PERSTEMPO and to compensate affected
troops by authorizing a high-tempo allowance. The FY2000
Year
Action
NDAA first authorized a high-deployment per diem of $100
1995
Congress calls for improved DOD management of
for members, starting on day 251 of deployment out of the
PERSTEMPO. (P.L. 104-106 §565)
preceding 365 days. In the FY2004 NDAA, Congress
replaced the per diem with a monthly allowance of up to
1996
GAO finds that DOD does not have consistent
$1,000 (at the discretion of the Secretary concerned) for
policies and goals for measuring and managing
each month that an active component servicemember is
PERSTEMPO. (GAO/NSAID-96-105, 1996)
deployed for (1) 191 or more consecutive days, or (2) 401
or more days out of the preceding 730 days.
1999
Congress defines deployment and high-deployment
threshold, requires DOD to develop standard
Reserve component members become eligible for the
definitions and policies for OPTEMPO and
allowance when (1) under a call to active duty for more
PERSTEMPO, and adds a high-deployment per diem
than 30 days that is the second (or later) such call for the
allowance. (P.L. 106-65 §§586 & 923)
same contingency operation; or (2) for a period of more
than 30 days, if such period begins within one year after the
2001
DOD invokes national security waiver and suspends
date on which the member was released from previous
high-deployment per diem, thresholds, and
service of more than 30 days on active duty (37 U.S.C.
deployment tracking requirements after 9/11 attacks.
§436(a)).
2003
Congress amends high-deployment thresholds,
Deployed servicemembers may also receive other
authorizes a high-deployment monthly allowance in
compensation while deployed (e.g., hostile fire and
place of diem (P.L. 108-136 §541), and authorizes
imminent danger, sea duty, and/or flight pay). These special
increased Family Separation Allowance. (P.L. 108-
and incentive pays largely depend on the geographic
11§1316).
location of the operation and the nature of the work.
2005
DOD requires SECDEF to approval deployment
Beginning with the Uniformed Services Pay Act of 1963
extensions beyond 365 days. (USD (P&R)
(P.L. 88-132), Congress authorized a Family Separation
memorandum, March 30, 2005)
Allowance (FSA) to compensate for added expenses that
2007
DOD first establishes dwell planning objectives.
result from family separation. In 2003, in response to the
(SECDEF memorandum, May, 3, 2007)
growing number of deployments in support of contingency
operations, Congress increased FSA from $100 per month
2011
Congress establishes dwell definition, and repeals
to $250 for members separated from their families due to
annual PERSTEMPO reporting requirements, but
certain duty assignments for a period of 30 days or more
requires PERSTERMPO data collection and
(37 U.S.C. §427(a)).
recordkeeping. (P.L. 112-81§522)
PERSTEMPO Tracking and Reporting
2013
DOD issues policy memorandum restating dwell
The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) maintains a
goals and thresholds. (USD (P&R) memorandum,
centralized database of all PERSTEMPO events. The
November 1, 2013)
Secretaries of the Military Departments and the
2018
GAO finds that DOD does not have complete and
Commandant of the Coast Guard are responsible for
reliable data to monitor PERSTEMPO (GAO-18-253,
reporting PERSTEMPO events to DMDC. A 2018 GAO
April 2018).
study (see Table 2) found DOD did not have complete or
reliable PERSTEMPO data, and has recommended better
2019
Congress requires when waivers are invoked, the
quality control processes, particularly for the Army, Air
Secretary concerned must establish specific and
Force, and Marine Corps.
measurable thresholds to monitor PERSTEMPO for
affected members (P.L. 116-92 §507).
High-PERSTEMPO Impacts
In general, research has found associations between
Source: CRS derived from multiple sources.
deployment frequency and duration, and decreased military
spouse well-being (e.g., depression and anxiety), increased
Relevant Statute
child problematic behaviors, and negative effects on parent-
10 U.S.C. §§136 & 991; 37 U.S.C. §§427 & 436
child and member-spouse relationships. On the other hand,
while many members express dissatisfaction with increased
Other Resources
deployments, the evidence does not suggest that has a
Department of Defense Instructions:
significant effect on continuation/retention rates. There is
DODI 1336.07, Management of Personnel Tempo
some evidence that deployments increase military family
DODI 1235.12, Accessing the Reserve Components
savings, potentially reflecting their eligibility for additional
compensation.
Kristy N. Kamarck, Analyst in Military Manpower
IF11007
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Defense Primer: Personnel Tempo (PERSTEMPO)
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11007 · VERSION 10 · UPDATED